This week in tech: House to vote on Patriot Act

Surveillance reform legislation is expected to speed through the House following a major court decision that has raised the pressure for action.

The House is expected to easily pass the USA Freedom Act next week, which would extend through 2019 three provisions of the Patriot Act and end the NSA’s bulk phone collection program. It would also reform the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and limit other surveillance powers.

The bill has been a major focus for tech companies, who took a hit after Edward Snowden leaked information two years ago about the broad sweep of American surveillance.

{mosads}Advocates of NSA reform were buoyed Thursday when the Second Circuit Court of Appeals declared that the spy agency’s current phone records collection practices are illegal. The court explicitly challenged Congress to take action.

What happens after the House vote is anyone’s guess. Senate Republican leaders have rebuffed the USA Freedom Act, instead pushing to move forward with a “clean” reauthorization of the current law through 2020.

In addition to the Patriot Act debate, House lawmakers will explore the world of Internet domain names — including the infamous “.sucks” address.

On Wednesday, a number of Internet groups, including Amazon, will testify at a House Judiciary hearing on the .sucks domain name that was awarded last year to a Canadian firm called Vox Populi.

The group has allowed businesses and celebrities to buy up their .sucks web addresses for thousands of dollars. The company will later allow the general public to purchase names that have not already been sold. The nonprofit in charge of the domain system has asked the Federal Trade Commission to look into the legality of the practice.

Later Wednesday, the Energy and Commerce Committee will hear testimony on the Commerce Department’s decision to hand off its oversight and management of the Internet domain name system. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is overseeing the transition. Lawmakers will debate legislation that would put off that transition for a year so the Governmental Accountability Office can review the implications.

Tuesday on the Senate side of the Capitol, the Appropriations subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government will examine the Federal Communications Commission’s budget proposal. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and GOP Commissioner Ajit Pai are scheduled to testify.

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